Gibson hits 7 3s, scores 29; Oklahoma beats Kansas St. 78-71

Mar 6, 2022, 01:21 am

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- — Umoja Gibson hit a seven 3-pointers and finished with 29 points on 9-of-14 shooting to help Oklahoma beat Kansas State 78-71 on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Tanner Groves added 14 points for Oklahoma (17-14, 7-11 Big 12). The Sooners have won three consecutive games — following a four-game slide — to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

There were seven ties and nine lead changes before Groves made a layup to give Oklahoma the lead for good amid a 7-0 spurt that made it 52-47 with 12:27 to play. Mark Smith hit a 3-pointer to pull Kansas State within two points but Jacob Groves (Tanner's younger brother) answered with a three-point play with 9:25 left and the Wildcats got no closer. Ethan Chargois and Gibson each hit a 3-pointer to bookend an 11-3 run that made it 70-59 with 4:27 remaining.

Smith led Kansas State (14-16, 6-12 Big 12) with 22 points and nine rebounds. Mike McGuirl added 21 points, five assists and three steals, Ismael Massoud scored 11 points and Nijel Pack 10.

Kansas State, has lost five games in a row, will be the No. 8 seed in next week's Big 12 tournament and plays Wednesday against ninth-seeded West Virginia in the lone opening-round game. No. 7 seed Oklahoma plays third-ranked and second-seeded Baylor — which swept the season series against the Sooners — in Thursday's quarterfinals.

------